Multi-pick structure



Feb. 21, 1967 MULTI PICK STRUCTURE c. CARON I 3,304,826

Filed Dec. 13, 1965 /Nl/ENTOR -CONRAO/N CARON BY EDWARD D. OER/AN Arrqgwsy United States Patent 3,3043% MULTI-PICK STRUCTURE Conradin Caron, Garden Grove, Calif. (8171 Whitestone Drive, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92646) Filed Dec. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 513,165 9 Claims. (Cl. 84-322) This invention is directed to a multi-pick structure, and particularly to a multi-pick for use in selectively picking strings in a plural stringed musical instrument.

A number of musical instruments are actuated by picking the strings. Guitars, mandolins and banjos are examples of stringed instruments upon which a pick is used to cause one or more strings thereof to vibrate to produce musical tones of the instrument. Conventional picks are well known and are manually used by the instrumentalist. Different instrumental styles require different uses of such picks. In chording, a single pick is rapidly but sequentially moved across all of the strings of the instrument. Each of the strings thus contacted vibrate and produces its own musical tone in accordance with its tension and length. With proper tuning and fingering, a musical chord results. In accordance with another musical style, a pick is used with an individual string so that individual tones are produced. The presently available, conventional single pick is usable only in these two manners and is not useful for picking more than one but less than all of the strings of the instrument.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a multi-pick structure which is capable of use in such a manner that more than one string can be picked at the same time so as to simultaneously sound more than one string.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a multipick structure which is capable of simultaneously sounding two strings on a musical instrument which are not adjacent to each other and to permit the string between to remain silent.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a multipick structure Which has different arrangements of picking elements extending at different portions thereof and/ or in different directions so as to permit different portions of the multi-pi-ck structure to be used to sound a combination of strings different than that sounded by another portion of the multi-pick structure.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a multipick structure which can be assembled so as to produce various arrangements of pick elements so that the multipick structure can be arranged in different ways for use for different musical efiects.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following portion of this specification, the claims and the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the multi-pick structure of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a section taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through another embodiment of the multi-pick structure of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of the multi-pick structure of this invention; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken generally along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

As an aid to understanding this invention it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to a multi-pick structure. Each of the pick elements of the multi-pick structure has a pick and a spacer. The spacer is of such nature that it can be interlocked with an adja- 3,304,826 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 cent spacer. Such interlocking of two such spacers permits two picks to be directed parallel to each other spaces apart substantially equal to the dimension between adjacent strings upon the stringed instrument upon which it is to be used. In the preferred embodiment, two such spacers and two such picks are arranged. With the preferred embodiment, two adjacent strings can be actuated at the same time. In the alternative embodiments, more than two such spacers and picks can be stacked so that more than two adjacent strings may be picked at the same time, and furthermore the pick elements may be stacked so that spaces are selectively provided so that non-adjacent strings may be simultaneously picked. Furthermore, the pick elements may be stacked so that different sides of the assembly of elements can be used on different occasions for different pick arrangements.

This invention will be understood in greater detail by reference to the following portion of this specification wherein the drawings are described. Referring now to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, the preferred embodiment of the multi-pick structure of this invention is generally indicated at 10. The pick 10 comprises pick elements 12 and 14. Each of the pick elements comprises a spacer and a pick. Spacers 16 and 18 and picks 20 and 22 are respectively associated with pick elements 12 and 14. The pick elements 12 and 14 are associated with each other so as to make up the multipick assembly 10.

Each of the picks 20 and 22 extend respectively away from spacers 16 and 18 so that they are parallel to each other and terminate in ends 24 and 26 which each are positioned substantially an equal distance away from the spacer portions. The distance between the picks is substantially equal to the spacing between the strings of the instrument on which the multi-pick assembly 10 is to be used. The spacers 16 and 18 create this spacing between the picks. Spacer 16 has protruding lugs 28 and 30 thereon. These lugs respectively fit into recesses 30 and 32. These lugs and recesses thus maintain the pick elements 12 and 14 together. They may be permanently secured together, or may be detachably secured, depending on the desires of the instrumentalist. The picks are each preferably unitarily formed with their respective spacers of polymer composition material so that each presents a substantially flat outer face.

In use, the multi-pick assembly 10 is held between the fingers and is positioned adjacent the strings of the instrument so that the picks 20 and 22 are adjacent the strings to be picked. These ends are picked against the string so as to cause the two strings to vibrate to thus permit actuation of any two adjacent strings without actuation of other strings upon the instrument. If desired, the spacing between picks 20 and 22 can be a multiple of such spacings so that non-adjacent strings can be picked.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, multi-pick assembly 36 is shown therein. Multi-pick assembly 36 is made up of pick elements 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 and 54. Each of the pick elements comprises a spacer 56 and a pick secured thereto. For convenience, picks 58 and 60 on pick elements 48 and 50 are separately identified by number. It is understood, however, that the remaining pick elements are similar. Each of the picks is substantially triangular and extends from its appropriate spacer.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the pick elements is arranged to be secured to the adjacent one so that the assembly 36 is created. To maintain the pick elements together, each of the pick elements 40 through 52 is provided with a pair of lugs and a pair of recesses appropriate for receiving the lugs. For example, pick element 44 is provided with lugs 62 and 64 which appropriately engage respectively in recesses 66 and 68 in pick element 46. The lugs and recesses are arranged so that the picks may be positioned to extend in the same direction or to extend oppositely to each other. For example, picks 58 and 60 extend in opposite directions While picks 58 and 70 extend in the same direction. Again, the spacing between the picks on adjacent pick elements is equal to the spacing between the strings on the instrument. With such construction it can be seen that picks can be selectively positioned so that selected adjacent or nonadjacent strings may be picked at the same time.

Any number of pick elements may be stacked up, depending on the desired picking arrangement, and ends of pick elements 38 and 54 are provided to finish the ends of the multi-pick assembly 36. These end pick elements are provided only with lugs or only with recesses depending upon which end they are to be placed. Thus, a multipick assembly can be fashioned of any practical length and with any arrangement of picks desired for selectively picking strings on a multiple stringed instrument. It can be seen that the opposite sides can be used for different arrangements, and if the assembly 36 is made long enough, opposite ends thereof may be used for different arrangements of string picking. Thus, an assembly constructed in accordance with the teaching of FIGS. 4 and 5 can be arranged to be used as many as four different ways in picking different combinations of strings.

Referring now to the multi-pick assembly of FIGS. 6 and 7, it is generally indicated at 72. The multi-pick assembly 72 is a further embodiment of the multi-pick structure. It is an embodiment similar to the multi-pick assembly 36, but is additionally provided with securement means between the various pick elements so that they may be assembled together in four different orientations. Again, the assembly 72 comprises a plurality of pick elements, which are identified by the numerals 74 through 92. Each of the pick elements comprises a spacer and a pick. Spacer 94 and pick 96 are associated with pick element 88. Similarly, pick 98 is associated with pick element 86, pick 100 is associated with pick element 80 and pick 102 is associated with pick element 78.

Each of the .pick elements 76 through 90 is provided with four recesses on one face and four corresponding lugs on the other face. The lugs and recesses are arranged so that the pick elements may be associated with each other and retained with respect to each other in any of the four positions illustrated in FIG. 7. Four recesses 104 are provided in spacer 94, and four lugs 106 are provided on the facing side of the spacer of pick element 90. The lugs enter the recesses and hold the pick assemblies in correct relationship. The end pick elements 74 and 92 are of special design so as to properly finish off the end. Thus, pick element 94 has the recesses while pick element 92 has the lugs. Each has a planar outer face.

The multi-pick assembly 72 can thus be selectively assembled so that each of the pick elements is directed in the desired orientation. As is apparent from FIG. 7, there are four different orientations in which the assembly 72 can be brought to the strings of the stringed instrument. Each of the four different sides can be arranged for picking a different selected arrangement of strings so that rapid changeovers during the performance of a musical piece can be made. Of course, the longitudinal distance between two adjacent picks is substantially equal to the string spacing so that the selected strings may be picked at the same time. The arrangement of the pick element permits selection of which strings will be simul-' taneously picked. If desired, some of these pick elements can be provided with two picks so that the same string may be picked by the assembly when the assembly is turned to a different orientation with respect to the strings. Similarly to the pick elements of assembly 10, the pick elements of assemblies 36 and 72 are each preferably unitarily formed of polymer composition material.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, and several additional embodiments disclosed, it is clear that this invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and changes within the skill of the routine artisan and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multi-pick structure, said multi-pick structure comprising:

a plurality of pick elements, each of said pick elements comprising a spacer and a pick, each of said picks being secured to its spacer of said pick element in such a manner that said picks are spaced apart substantially equal to the spacing of the strings of a stringed instrument when said pick elements are adjacent each other so that a plurality of strings on the stringed instrument are adapted to be simultaneously picked by said plurality of pick elements, said pick elements being adapted to be secured to each other.

2. The multi-pick structure of claim 1 wherein said pick elements are adapted to be secured to each other in at least two different orientations, one of the orientations being such that said picks on said pick elements extend in generally the same direction, While in another orientation said picks on" said pick elements extend in different directions.

3. The multi-pick structure of claim 2 wherein there are at least three pick elements in said multi-pick structure.

4. The multi-pick structure of claim 3 wherein each of said pick elements is associatable with and securable with respect to an adjacent pick element in any one of four selected positions.

5. A multi-ipick structure, said multi-pick structure comprising:

a plurality of pick elements, each of said pick elements comprising a spacer and a pick;

said spacer comprising a body and said pick comprising a thin, pointed web integrally formed with respect to said spacer body;

each of said pick elements being formed of polymer composition material, said body having an outer face, said pick having an outer face ajoining said outer face of said body so as to present a substantial planar external face, said spacer body extending away from said planar face and terminating in a joining face, said joining face of each of said pick elements being arranged to be secured to an adjacent pick element so as to maintain said picks on adjacent pick elements in proper orientation;

each of said picks being secured to its spacer of said pick element in such a manner that such picks are spaced apart substantially equal to the spacing of the strings of the stringed instrument when said pick elements are adjacent to each other so that a plurality of strings on the stringed instrument are simultaneously picked by said plurality of pick elements, said pick elements being adapted to be secured to each other.

6. The multi-pick structure of claim 5 wherein said pick elements are detachably secured to each other.

7. The multi-pick structure of claim 5 wherein one of said pick elements has a plurality of lugs extending outwardly away from said joining face on said spacer body and another of said pick elements has a plurality of lug receiving recesses in said joining face of said spacer body, said lugs being engagable in said recesses so as to maintain said joining faces adjacent each other.

8. The multi-pick structure of claim 7 wherein said spacer body on each of said pick elements comprises a pair of substantially hemi-cylinders spaced from each other and joined by material therebetween and wherein there are two of said lugs on one of said pick elements and two of said recesses on another of said pick elements.

9. The multi-pick structure of claim 8 wherein a further pick element is positioned between said plurality of pick elements, said further pick element having a body and first and second joining faces on said body, a pick on said pick element, said pick being spaced between said first and second joining faces, said first joining face having 5 recesses therein and said second joining face having lugs extending therefrom so that said further pick element is adapted to be placed between said plurality of pick elements with its joining faces joining said joining faces of said plurality of pick elements and with said lugs and recesses interengaged.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,241 8/1904 Seidel 84-322 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. C. M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MULTI-PICK STRUCTURE, SAID MULTI-PICK STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF PICK ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID PICK ELEMENTS COMPRISING A SPACER AND A PICK, EACH OF SAID PICKS BEING SECURED TO ITS SPACER OF SAID PICK ELEMENT IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID PICKS ARE SPACED APART SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SPACING OF THE STRINGS OF A STRINGED INSTRUMENT WHEN SAID PICK ELEMENTS ARE ADJACENT EACH OTHER SO THAT A PLURALITY OF STRINGS ON THE STRINGED INSTRUMENT ARE ADAPTED TO BE SIMULTANE- 